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A recurrence of Morne Morkel’s quad muscle injury overshadowed the South Africans’ comfortable win over the Sri Lanka Board President’s XI. Morkel bowled just three overs as the hosts were bowled out for 198 in reply to the tourists’ 271 for six.

It was the South Africans who won the toss and elected to bat on a typically slow pitch at the Colts CC ground in Colombo. However, all of their top-order enjoyed useful time at the crease ahead of the forthcoming limited-overs internationals, the first of which is a ODI at the R Premadasa on Saturday.

Openers Hashim Amla and Alviro Petersen put on 46 in 12 overs before the former was run-out by Thisara Perera for a sprightly 31 off 33 balls. It was then over to JP Duminy, who played the day’s defining innings. He made 92 prior to being bowled by Dhammika Prasad in the closing overs and shared stands of 49 with Petersen (43), 70 with AB de Villiers (40) and 82 with Faf du Plessis (40).

The Board President’s XI restricted the South Africans well towards the end of the innings as they could add only 24 runs from 20 balls following Duminy’s departure in the 47th over. All of Prasad, Thisara Perera and Vimukthi Perera delivered their full allocation of overs and all took at least one wicket at a cost of no more than 50 runs.

The home side then lost regular wickets throughout their reply despite the absence of Morkel. Dimuth Karunaratne fell for six in Chris Morris’ third over, with Kushal Perera (23) and Mahela Udawatee (12) following him back before the completion of the first 15 overs. Promising middle-order batsman Angelo Perera top-scored with 46, while Jehan Mubarak made 42 from number seven.

Duminy followed up his impressive innings by taking two for 49 from nine overs of off-spin, while the South Africans’ other spinners Robin Peterson (7.5-1-37-3) and Aaron Phangiso (9-0-39-2) were effective. Morris, meanwhile, added the wicket of Sachithra Serasinghe to his early double-strike and ended with figures of three for 27.

Following the conclusion of the match, Sri Lanka’s selectors named a 15-man squad that will contest the first two matches of the ODI series against South Africa. Dinesh Chandimal will, as expected, skipper the side in the absence of the suspended Angelo Mathews, with Lahiru Thirimanne named as his deputy as Sri Lanka’s selectors look to the future.

All-rounder Thisara Perera earns a recall having been left out of Sri Lanka’s squad for their last limited-overs assignment, the tri-series in the West Indies. Also returning is Tillakaratne Dilshan now fully recovered from his calf injury, as well as young batsman Angelo Perera and Jehan Mubarak.

Nuwan Kulasekara is out with a dislocated finger, while Jeevan Mendis, Dilhara Lokuhettige and Kushal Perera have been overlooked in favour of Thisara, Angelo and Dilshan.